


The Cave

by CatWingsAthena



Series: Catwings's Vampire Mac AU [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Blood Drinking, Gen, Major Character Injury, Non-Consensual Blood Drinking, Okay let's be real, Original Character Death(s), Parental Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016), Platonic vampire angst, The world needs more platonic vampire angst, This fandom needs more platonic vampire angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24897892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatWingsAthena/pseuds/CatWingsAthena
Summary: "In retrospect, Jack should have known this mission was going too smoothly."Or, the one where Mac is a vampire, Jack is a human, they're stuck in a cave, Mac has a broken leg, and this is definitely not going to go well.
Relationships: Angus MacGyver & Matilda "Matty" Webber (MacGyver TV 2016), Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Wilt Bozer & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: Catwings's Vampire Mac AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2024827
Comments: 19
Kudos: 33





	The Cave

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody! As I said in the tags, I was distressed by the lack of platonic vampire angst in this fandom and in the world at large, so I wrote some of my own. I hope you enjoy it! Please be aware that, in addition to what's tagged this work contains brief gun violence, an extremely brief reference to animal death, and self-injury for a practical reason. It also contains Jack being somewhat morally grey in the interests of saving Mac--nothing he wouldn't do in canon, I'm pretty sure, but just a heads-up. Happy reading!

In retrospect, Jack should have known this mission was going too smoothly.

He and Mac were on their way to exfil, conversation falling into an easy rhythm.

“I still can’t believe you showed that guy your fangs,” Jack laughed. “Matty’s gonna be pissed.”

“That’s  _ if _ she finds out,” said Mac, and Jack raised his eyebrows. “What? You know I’m not always an open book in mission reports.”

“Well, yeah, that’s usually because I convince you to leave out the technical details! But my lips are sealed,” Jack said, drawing his fingers across his mouth in a zipping motion. “I’m just trying to figure out why. You normally hate doing that—”

“Well, it definitely works to throw people off balance, and I didn’t exactly have many options,” Mac replied with a shrug. “It worked. And it’s not like anybody’ll believe that guy anyway, as far as anyone could tell with the stuff we gave him he was tumble-down drunk.” A shadow passed over Mac’s face, momentarily distorting his easy smile. “Let’s go. I’d like to get back to the Phoenix sooner rather than later, if that’s possible.”

Jack picked up the pace. “I’d like to get back to the Phoenix” was Mac-speak for “I’m hungry”—something he would never admit aloud, as, even two years after his turning, it still made him profoundly uncomfortable. It made sense that he would be hungry—Mac preferred not to feed while on missions, if at all possible, so for shorter missions, he didn’t even take any blood with him. If a short mission turned into a long mission, as it sometimes did—well, he made do. Sometimes he raided a local hospital for a blood bag (which Mac hated doing, claiming someone might need it—to which Jack always retorted that so did he), other times he found an animal to feed on. On one memorable occasion, to Mac’s extreme chagrin, Jack had had to feed him—cutting his arm, bleeding into his water bottle, and giving it to Mac. That had  _ almost _ been enough to get Mac to start bringing blood on missions, but not quite.

This mission had been short enough that they hadn’t had to do any of that, but long enough that Mac would definitely be feeling the effects of hunger.

Which meant it was definitely a good idea to get back to the Phoenix as soon as possible.

“Sure thing,” said Jack. “Tell you what, on the way back we can—”

The world fell out from beneath their feet.

Mac  _ screamed. _

“Mac!” shouted Jack, coughing to rid his lungs of the dirt he’d inhaled. “Mac, where are you? Are you okay?”

Jack held his breath, heart thumping frantically, for the long moment it took for Mac to call back.

When he did, his voice was strained. “Yeah. I... I think my leg’s broken.”

Jack scrambled up, pushing rocks and dirt off himself, and saw Mac on the ground, leg bent all wrong.  _ Just his luck. _

There was more than pain in his eyes, though. Jack recognized that look. He looked down at himself, and...  _ shit. _

Mac was hurt far worse, but Jack was pretty banged up himself.

And  _ bloody. _

“Okay, kiddo,” said Jack softly. “I’m gonna go see where we are, see if I can find something to splint your leg, okay?”

“That map we stole should work.” Mac’s words were rushed, as though he was hurrying to get each sentence out before he ran out of breath.

“What?”

“It’s laminated, right? Roll it up... really tight. It’s not perfect, but... it’s something.”

Carefully, Jack splinted Mac’s leg, trying not to get too close to Mac’s face. He still wasn’t sure all the little noises Mac made were solely pain.

“Okay,” Jack said when that process was over with. “I’m gonna go figure out what this place is.”

Mac nodded his assent.

Jack looked around. They weren’t in a sinkhole, which was a relief. They seemed to be in some sort of cave system. The rocky ground  _ (ouch) _ and chilly air further confirmed that suspicion.

If he walked far enough, Jack suspected, he could probably find a way out. But Mac wasn’t going anywhere until his leg got better. And that was going to take time.

And energy.

Energy Mac’s body currently didn’t have.

Only one thing for it, then.

Jack shook his water bottle. It was about half full. He walked back to Mac. “Here. How much water is in your bottle?”

Mac held up his water bottle. “About half.”

“Let’s consolidate.”

Mac gave him a look. “What are you—”

“You know perfectly well what I’m doing, don’t argue.”

“But—”

“No. You’re hurt and your body needs energy to heal. I don’t care what you’re gonna say, it’s not gonna convince me, so shut up and let me help you.”

Mac sighed and lowered his head, which worried Jack. If he wasn’t protesting further, he had to be either in too much pain to argue or hungrier than Jack had thought. Either way, he needed to do this fast.

Jack took Mac’s water bottle and poured what was left in it into his until it was full, then took a sip of what was left in Mac’s and handed it back to Mac, who took a tiny sip and handed it back. Jack drank the tiny amount left, knowing better than to push. Mac would raise less of a fuss about what he was about to do if he acquiesced to this, and it was such a small amount it wouldn’t make much difference anyway. Besides, soon he would need the fluids.

He didn’t need to torture Mac by doing this in front of him. Jack moved a good distance away, then pulled out his pocketknife, held Mac’s water bottle between his knees, held his arm over it, and slashed through the skin, letting the blood drip into the bottle. He sat there for quite a while, digging again with the knife when the flow started to slow down, until the bottle was about half full.

He knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Mac needed more blood than usual when he was hurt. Jack had seen him go through five pints at once after a mission went wrong. If he wanted to heal, he needed a lot more than Jack could spare.

This wouldn’t help Mac heal, but maybe it would soften his hunger. Make him a little more comfortable.

Jack walked back to Mac, carrying the water bottle full of his own blood.

“Here you go, kiddo. Drink up.” He handed the bottle to Mac and immediately backed off and turned away. It wasn’t out of disgust. He didn’t care about Mac’s vampiric side—as far as he was concerned, Mac was still  _ Mac, _ no matter what he ate—but he knew Mac wasn’t as comfortable with it as Jack was, and Jack knew Mac appreciated being given a little privacy.

The second he’d turned away, Jack heard desperate slurping noises and soft moans. He tried not to listen, but it was difficult—there weren’t a lot of other sounds around, and Jack had a hard time turning off his situational awareness at the best of times, let alone when Mac was hurt.

“You can turn around now,” said Mac softly, a minute after the noises had ceased.

Jack did, and saw Mac, mouth mostly clean but a few stray smears of blood on his nose and chin, looking thoroughly miserable.

“Do you know where we are?” Mac asked.

“I think we’re in some sort of cave system,” said Jack. “You okay if I go look for a way out?”

Mac pressed his lips together and nodded, turning on the flashlight attachment of his Swiss Army knife and handing it to Jack.

Jack took the light. “I’ll be back.”

...

The days crawled by.

Jack alternated between exploring the tunnels and coming back to check on (and catch some sleep beside) Mac. He found a stream not far away that had water that seemed clean, although he used the purification tablets he carried in his pack just in case. He carefully rationed his protein bars and beef jerky. He fed Mac again, getting so dizzy that he nearly passed out, and Mac told him he couldn’t do that again.

Reluctantly, he agreed. He was no good to Mac dead.

Well... unless.

There was a thought that had been growing in his mind. An option of absolute last resort. If he had to, if he couldn’t get help to Mac and they ran out of time... he could wait until Mac got desperate enough that he didn’t know what he was doing, then deliberately get too close and let Mac drain him. He didn’t want to do that—he did like being alive, and besides, it would absolutely  _ crush _ Mac to snap out of it and realize what had happened.

But if it came down to Mac’s life—well, unlife—or his, it was no choice at all.

Still. If he could find  _ any _ way around that, he’d take it.

Jack was on his way back into their section of the cave, after having tried and failed again to find an exit, when he heard a soft whine.

“Mac?” he called.

“Jack,” Mac whimpered. “Gimme more.”

_ Oh, kiddo. _ Jack wanted to. But he knew it would be a bad idea. “I can’t do that. You told me not to.”

“Not much. Just a little. Just enough to take the edge off. Please, I’m so  _ hungry...” _ The words broke off into sobs.

Jack felt like crying himself. He had never, in the two years since Mac’s turning, heard Mac admit to being hungry. Not once. For him to say it this openly now... he had to be beyond desperate.

“I know, I know,” Jack said soothingly. He wanted to go right back out there and keep looking. But he was dead on his feet at this point, and it wasn’t likely to be much use. “I just need to grab a couple hours’ sleep and then I’ll go right back to looking for a way out of here, okay?”

Mac looked down. “You shouldn’t... shouldn’t sleep near me.” His fingers moved like they were fiddling with something, even though there was nothing there. “I’m scared I’ll hurt you.”

Jack felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart. He took a breath in. “Okay. I’ll sleep over there. You’re not getting far on that leg.”

Mac looked up. “Thank you.”

Jack gave a short, sharp nod and walked away.

...

When Jack woke up, his body clock—and his Mac sense—immediately told him he’d slept too long.

He looked over at Mac, who was squirming, making high, keening noises. Jack stood up and tried to sneak past, but he should’ve known that wasn’t going to work.

As soon as Jack got close, Mac’s eyes snapped open. They were disturbingly blank.

The next moment, Mac rose up and tried to spring at Jack, only to fall back with a cry as he tried to put weight on his injured leg.

The pain seemed to snap him back to his senses, and Mac’s wide blue eyes were once again  _ Mac, _ full of sorrow and hurt and horror. He looked up. “Jack... I... I’m so sorry... you should go.”

“That’s the plan. I’m gonna bring help back here.”

Mac shook his head. “They’ll never get blood here in time. And if they don’t... either it’ll be pointless or I’ll hurt them, too. So... you should go. Stop coming back here and get yourself out.”

“Mac, I’m...”

“You have to.” Mac’s eyes were filling with tears, and he was obviously fighting to hang on to awareness and control. “If you’re not enough... do it for Riley. You’re... you’ve been... best dad... anyone could ask for.”

Jack froze. If Mac was saying  _ that _ out loud, it meant he was  _ sure _ this was it for him.

Then, Mac  _ hissed _ and tried to grab Jack again, once again falling back with a cry of pain. The tears were running down his face now. “ _ Go!” _

“Okay,” said Jack, hands in the air. “You’re the best kid anyone could ask for, you know that?”

“M’sorry...”

“It’s not your fault.”

With that, Jack left.

...

Jack was wandering through the tunnels, searching desperately.

The battery on Mac’s flashlight was dead, so he was operating in total darkness, trying not to fall and hurt himself, too.

Mac needed him ambulatory.

If he found a way out, awesome. He’d call for help, tell exfil to bring blood with them, no matter what Mac said. (He ignored the part of his brain that told him Mac was right, it would probably be too late for that.) If he didn’t... he’d go back there and feed himself to Mac. Riley... damn, he wished he didn’t have to do that to her, but he thought she would understand. He’d have done the same for her, if the positions had been reversed.

Jack’s thoughts were interrupted by the beam of a flashlight.

Jack’s heart leapt.  _ Flashlight _ meant  _ people _ meant  _ exit. _

“Hey!” called Jack, and the flashlight swept toward him.

Soon enough, a man was standing in front of him. “Hey,” said the man. “What are you doing down here without a flashlight?”

In that moment, Jack made a decision.

There was no way exfil could get to Mac with blood in time. But maybe... maybe Jack could.

He hated himself a bit for even thinking it, but it would hardly be the worst thing he’d ever done. And if it kept Mac alive, it would be worth it.

“My son and I were hiking, and we just... fell into this cave,” said Jack. “We’ve been here a while. My son has a broken leg. Which way is the exit?”

The man rattled off directions, which Jack carefully memorized.

“I need help getting my son out of here,” said Jack. “Will you help me?”

“Sure,” said the man. “What’s your son’s name? How old is he?”

“His name’s Mac, and he’s twenty-eight,” Jack replied. “We were on a hike together as a bonding thing. He’s not doing well, I’m really worried.”

“I’d imagine not,” the man said. “Broken bones that aren’t set properly, in a place like this... nasty stuff. I’m Evan, by the way.”

“Jack.”

“You’re holding up pretty well, I’m impressed,” said Evan. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to one of my kids. I have two—Martin and Amelia. They’re fifteen and eleven.”

Jack filed that information away under  _ things to never tell Mac, ever. _ Then, he forced a smile. “Yeah, Mac has a sister. Her name’s Riley.”

“Have you been finding water all right?”

“Yeah. We’re low on food, though.”

“Here, I have some.” Evan took a protein bar out of his pocket, and Jack guiltily took it. He ate as he walked.

Evan kept chatting the whole way. About his wife. About his kids. About his goddamn dog. Jack tried not to hear, but it was pretty darn impossible when he kept being drawn into the conversation. He volunteered several anecdotes about Mac and Riley—especially Mac. He didn’t know why.

Maybe he wanted Evan to know, in his last moments, that he wasn’t dying for nothing.

Soon, they were at the entrance to Mac and Jack’s section of the cave.

Evan stiffened, some sense alerting him to danger.

The next instant, Jack had his gun pressed to Evan’s back.

“I am so sorry,” Jack said. “And I want you to know that everything I told you about Mac is true. Now go on.”

Evan swallowed and walked in.

Mac was curled in on himself, whimpering. At the scent of warm bodies, his head perked up. His eyes were wild. When he opened his mouth, his fangs were clearly visible in the beam of Evan’s flashlight.

“A vampire,” whispered Evan.

“And my kid,” said Jack. “Is there anything you wouldn’t do for yours?”

“You... you brought me here to be  _ food?” _

At the word “food,” Mac sat up all the way and tried to move towards them, still whimpering. Then, he stopped and forcefully shook his head, as if trying to clear it.

_ Oh, no. _ Mac was still aware enough of what was going on to have some scruples about what he was about to do. Jack was confident his survival drive was stronger at this point, but still. It would make things more difficult.

“Damn right I did,” said Jack. “If it helps, from what I’ve been told, it won’t hurt much. And it’ll be over quick.”

Evan was shaking. “Please. I told you about my family, I have to get back to them...”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” Jack took a deep breath. “But this is what I have to do for mine. Now go.” Jack gave him a shove with his gun.

Evan started towards Mac, then turned and tried to run.

Before Evan could get far, Jack shot him in the back. Not immediately fatal, but enough to keep him from going anywhere.

When the smell of blood hit the air, Mac  _ keened _ and started dragging himself over to where Evan lay. Jack grabbed Evan’s feet and dragged him closer, careful to stay as far from Mac as possible. Soon enough, Mac was positioned directly over a groaning Evan.

Mac was shaking and whining. Tears were falling from his eyes. But he wasn’t biting.

“It’s okay, kiddo,” said Jack. “Don’t worry about it, don’t fight it. It’s okay. Here, I won’t look.” He turned away.

Still nothing.

Still turned around, Jack resumed talking. “Listen. He’s hurting, he’s gonna die anyway. You’ll be doing him a favor at this point. Just let go.”

Soon enough, Jack heard a series of wet, squelchy noises, pained gasps and cries, and groans Mac was too far gone to stifle.

He kept facing away until the noises stopped and he heard a faint “oh my God.”

Jack turned around. “Mac?”

Mac was abnormally pale even for him, blood covering his face, eyes wide with shock and horror. He was clutching his stomach, and looked like he wanted to be sick, but Jack knew his body wouldn’t let him. Next to him, Evan lay dead, neck bloody. “Jack?” he whispered. “Tell me he did something... tell me I didn’t just... what did I  _ do?” _

“It’s okay—”

“It is NOT OKAY!” Mac shouted weakly. “I just... I... I...” He buried his face in his hands.

“Hey,” said Jack. “If you’re gonna be mad at someone, be mad at me. If one of us killed him, it was me. You were just acting on instinct, you couldn’t help it. I knew exactly what I was doing when I led him back here, and I shot him when he tried to run away. All that’s on me.”

“But I’m the reason he’s dead,” whispered Mac.

“No,” said Jack. “Our shitty luck is the reason he’s dead. And I am so, so sorry I couldn’t get us out of here faster. Speaking of which, I know the way out now. So as soon as your leg heals, we can get going.”

Mac looked down, tears slipping out of his eyes. “Did you know his name?”

Jack debated whether to tell Mac the truth or not. With his vampiric senses, Mac usually knew when he was lying. “Evan.”

“Did he tell you anything else?”

“Don’t go down that rabbit hole, kiddo.”

“I  _ killed _ him, the least I can do is remember him.”

Jack sighed. “I don’t know if this is gonna help, but... it wasn’t him or you, you know. It was him or me.”

Mac looked up, startled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean... if I couldn’t get help to you in time, I was gonna come back here and let you drink me dry. I know it would’ve killed you to realize you’d done that, but... at least it would’ve kept you around. Evan showing up meant I didn’t have to do that.”

Mac’s eyes were wide with horror. “No... you wouldn’t’ve...” He shook his head. “You do realize I could  _ never _ have lived with myself if I’d... if I’d killed you, right? I’d have walked right into the first sharp stake I could find.”

“Well, I was hoping your overdeveloped sense of responsibility would mean you’d at least go back to the Phoenix to tell them what happened, and that the rest of the team would talk you out of that particular course of action. But it didn’t come to that. I’m here and so are you. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a win. And don’t get me wrong, I hate the fact that it had to happen this way. But this was the least awful of our very limited options.”

Mac glared at Jack weakly. “You should’ve let me die,” he said accusingly. “It’s our job to protect innocent people. Not kill them.”

“That’s  _ your _ job,” said Jack. “Mine is to keep you safe. I did my job. And I think under the circumstances you can be excused from yours.”

Mac sighed. “Let’s just get going.”

“Is your leg—”

“Let’s just get going.”

...

When Mac and Jack arrived in Medical, Matty was waiting for them.

“I told Riley and Bozer to wait outside,” she said to Mac. “But you should know that I told them what happened and the first thing they wanted to know was if you were okay. They wanted me to tell you they don’t blame you one bit.”

Mac lowered his eyes. He didn’t deserve Riley and Bozer. He didn’t deserve any of them.

He’d killed an innocent man, for no other reason than to keep himself... not even technically alive.

Matty looked at the nurses, then at Jack. “Would you give us a minute?”

Nods all around, and soon Matty and Mac were alone in the room.

“I’m sure Jack’s already told you that this wasn’t your fault, and he’s right—”

“I could’ve fought harder.” Mac hadn’t planned on saying the words, they just... popped out.

“What do you mean?” asked Matty, raising an eyebrow.

“I mean... I remember it. Right before. I was... I was barely with it, but I was still aware enough to know what I was doing, and that it was wrong. And Jack was telling me it was okay, that I shouldn’t fight it, to let go, and... and I tried  _ so hard _ not to but... I did it anyway.” Mac’s face crumpled. “If I’d been a little stronger, maybe Evan would still be alive.”

“Hey,” said Matty sharply. “You did the best you could’ve done. You probably did the best  _ anyone _ in that position could’ve done. But I won’t condescend to you and tell you not to feel guilty. Of course you feel guilty. Whether it was your fault or not, which it certainly wasn’t, you killed an innocent. That’s a heavy weight to carry.”

Mac looked up. He hadn’t been expecting her to say that.

“But I don’t say that to make you feel worse. I say that because I want to be honest with you about what moving forward is going to look like. Yes, things are going to be different from now on, and there’s no getting around that. But you can choose how you see it.” She looked Mac directly in the eye. “Evan’s life is a part of yours now. Get out there and make it count.” She smiled a little, then put on the face Mac recognized as her Boss Face. “That’s an order, Blondie.”

Mac nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Are you all right if I send Riley and Bozer in? They’ve been wanting to see you.”

Mac shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them. “Go ahead.”

Matty headed for the door, then left the room.

A moment later, Riley and Bozer came in.

They both rushed over to Mac.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” said Riley. She held out her arms. “May I?”

Slowly, Mac nodded, and Riley wrapped her arms around him.

He breathed in the scent of her, and the realization that she still trusted him enough to put her neck near his face.

A moment later, they broke apart.

“My turn!” Bozer declared, stepping forward for a hug. Mac relaxed into it. “Hey. You’re home. It’s gonna be okay now.”

Mac took a deep breath. “Yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I hope you liked this! If you did, I'd love it if you could let me know below!


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